Get two-hour delivery from Apple Store online in expanded locations for the holidays

Apple is really hoping you'll be wrapping up an iPhone, iPad, AirPods, or even a Mac for Christmas this holiday shopping season. In addition to the 6% cash back that you get for making Apple hardware purchases through an Apple Store (either online or in-person), you can also get some of those presents delivered within two hours in certain location all the way through December 31 ... for free!

Normally, around this time, Apple announces its holiday shipping restrictions about when the last day is that you can order something to have it delivered by Dec. 24, but for many of us, we can wait until after Christmas to order online from Apple and still get that present delivered the same day.

Have you ever had someone show up for your holiday party that you weren't expecting and you don't have a gift for them? Well, within two hours, you can rewrite that story to be about how awesome you are to have thought of them, even though you didn't know they were coming.

From what I've been able to tell by checking various products at Apple's Online Store, it looks like this covers third-party accessories, too, at least most of them. The key is that the product has to be available to ship right away. AirPods Pro, for example, don't ship in my area until mid-January, so they will not be sitting under the Christmas tree this year.

The two-hour shipping offer isn't available everywhere. Apple notes that it's available in "most metro areas," so be sure to check your shipping times before you procrastinate.

And, of course, don't forget about that 6% cashback if you buy an Apple brand product with your Apple Card. Considering Apple rarely puts anything on sale, this holiday promo is a pretty sweet deal.